EVEREST BASECAMP TREK, 1st to 17 October, 1st to 17 March, and 4 to 20 April, 2005, 2006, and 2007. 17 Days in Nepal.

The Basecamp Trek will accompany the Ama Dablam Expedition, Pumori Expedition, and Everest Expedition, depending upon which season in which the trek occurs. A unique opportunity is available to be a part of the expedition. After spending a few days with the expedition, the trekking party will then leave and walk up to the ridge top known as "Kala Patar" for fabulous views of Everest. The trek passes through some of the most spectacular mountain scenery on earth and through interesting and friendly Sherpa villages. Its enjoyable walking the wide trails on this relaxing and energizing trek, where our cooks pamper you and our trusty yaks and porters carry all of your baggage, so you don't have to.

IS THIS TRIP FOR YOU

The Trek is suitable for anyone of reasonable fitness.

1.   Arrive Kathmandu-Tribhuvan International Airport (2563 metres) on day 1 (or before), but not after that, as we need you to be in Kathmandu for several days to take care of formalities. Please be sure to let us know your exact flight itinerary details, as our staff will be meeting you at the airport and bringing you to our chosen Nepa Hotel (http://www.hotelnepaintl.com/) costing $20 for a single and $30 for a double. Three large western-style meals a day might cost $20, including beverages, etcetera. There are numerous delicious restaurants and cafes within a few minutes walk of our hotel.

"Streets" of Lukla (there are no cars here, everything must be flown or carried in for 6 days), and the Lukla airport before they paved the runway. Mazur photo.

2. Tour Kathmandu, a beautiful exotic Hindu and Buddhist city with an abundance of ancient temples. If this is your first visit, we strongly suggest you tour the temples, including the Monkey Temple, atop a small mountain above the Vishnu Mathi river and the Thamel neighborhood, the Pashupatinath Temple, where the cremations are conducted along the Bagmathi River, Boudhanath , an enourmous white massive stupa first built in 600 AD that you can walk around, absolving a lifetime's sin, and finish at the Kathmandu Durbar or King's Square, where the 400 year old Kathmandu capital was situated. We will take this day to finalize arrangements (such as issuing your trekking permit, etc), in between enjoying food and drink at some of the many westernized restaurants in the Thamel neighborhood. Today is an ideal day to pick up extra bits of trekking kit from the plethora of mountain shops selling a surprising variety of good quality new and used mountain clothing, shoes, and nearly everything you might find in a trekking shop in your home country. The local "supermarkets" are great places to stock up on imported chocolates, sweets, and some surprisingly tasty local trekking foods like energy bars, nuts, granola bars, etcetera. 

Steve from Yorkshire meets a few local kids along the Khumbu trail. Photo: Diane Taliafero from Montana. Yaks coming fairly close to the trinket tables along the trail below Khumjung, Mazur photo

3. In a small twin engine, twin pilot, 18 seat propeller driven "Twin-Otter", the trusty workhorse of the Khumbu-Everest trekking trade, we will fly for 40 minutes from Kathmandu to the airstrip at 2840 metre-high Lukla and stroll a couple of hours down and through the forested and farmed Dudh Khosi valley with a small clean river ripping through a narrow green rocky mountain studded valley to the picturesque small town of Phakding, where we camp in a field on the river bank at 2650 metres. Throughout the entire trek, every day, our bags will be carried by porters and yaks. Interacting with the people transporting our equipment, as well as their livestock, will be an interesting part of our trip, and allow us to set foot into the local culture.

4.   We arise early and have a typically wholesome breakfast of omelettes, toast, porridge and hot drinks, then walk 4-7hours up through the fir trees and ever-rarer herds of Himalayan Tar, an endangered large wild mountain sheep. Topping the rim of the Sun Khosi Gorge, we slowly and steadily walk into the steep village of 3440 metre high Namche Bazaar, the capital of the Sherpa region, which we will have time to explore. Its important to drink lots of liquids during today's trek, and you will certainly appreciate the stunning views of Numbur Peak (6959 metres) over several cups of tea, in our terraced campsite, in what used to be a potatoe field on the upper slopes of the town. In 30 minutes walk on a trail traversing the slope towards Everest, we will see our first views of the stunning Ama Dablam and perhaps Everest itself. 

First views of Ama Dablam, Jay Ullin Photo.

5.  Today we rest, acclimate, and relax, in order to soak in the comfortable exotic landscape of this Sherpa kingdom. One of the main features of spending a day in Namche is the opportunity to walk 15 minutes down the slope to partake in the tumult of this bustling sherpa and tourist village, especially the many tasty restaurants, tea-shops, pubs, billiard rooms, and internet cafes. All of the electricity here is locally made micro-hydro-electric power, and the telephone and internet connections are wireless/satellite.

View of deforestation from high above, looking down on Namche village. The closer you get to the village, the fewer trees there are. They were removed to burn as firewood to heat water for trekker's hot showers. This photo shows some of  the slopes we wish to replant, with your help. Photo by Rajen.

Throughout this part of the walk, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for a glimpse of endangered herds of Tahr. Finally cresting a rise in a forest of gorgeous Sub-alpine fir and Hemlock, wallking at the feet of the Khumbu giant peaks of Kusum Kanguru and Thamserku, we reach the Buddhist monastery at Thyangboche, which we can visit. The monastery burned in 1989, apparently due to an electric kettle being left on. Tragically the gompa's book collection was ravaged, and during the following years, groups of monks were seen spending hours each day writing with ball-point pens on stenographer's pads, trying to recall ancient texts from memory, which were burned when the fire tore through the library. Here we will find our first glimpses of and inspiring views of Mt. Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, and a very welcome tea and lunch stop. 

We are currently working with the Everest Foundation for Sustainable Development in re-roofing the Pema Choling Buddhist women's convent, also known as the Deboche Nunnery, where 20 impoverished nuns live in a leaky old convent that many tourists walk past and never consider. The convent is the "sister-monastery" to the famous Thyangboche monastery on top of the hill between beautiful Deboche and Namche, along the Everest basecamp trek. The men who live in the monastery on top of the hill have brand new buildings with intact roofs, while the women live at the bottom of the slope in very simple (and leaky) circumstances. Perhaps you might like to get involved, by visiting our charity non-profit website.

Located in a forest inside Sagarmatha National park, where Mt. Everest stands, the Pema Choling convent desperately needs a new roof. It looks as if it has needed a new roof for quite some time. The nuns at the Deboche Nunnery lead a simple life. Photos by Rajen

We will then carry on for an hour through the tiny old-style hamlet of Deboche, in a high altitude birch forest, inside the inspiring Khumbu gorge, where there is one spectacular bridge crossing, for 1 hour and stay in Pangboche, 3900 metres, a religious village and the home of Lama Geshe, the high priest of the Khumbu, the most respected Buddhist leader in the upper Khumbu valley. This is a long day of trekking, but after all is said and done, you only gain 350 metres.

7. In October, we leave the Everest trek to climb up to Ama Dablam Base Camp at 4500 metres, where we will spend the remainder of the day resting and soaking up the views. As the sun hits the village of Pangboche, just before leaving, we head up to the house of the high priest and receive our "blessing" from the Lama, who ties sacred strings around the necks of anyone in attendance, chanting prayers over the prayer flags we will hang in basecamp and giving each of us a cord to wear around the neck, or an amulet or card or scarf to bring to the summit, for even more good luck. An "auspicious" start, indeed.

Unpacking in Ama Dablam basecamp, trying the rucksack on for the first time since leaving Kathmandu. Morrison Photo

8. Rest day at basecamp. You are welcome to hang out and enjoy the good life, relaxing in your tent, eating large tasty meals prepared by our basecamp chefs, who can easily conjure up a nine course meal when they really get going. Or, if you prefer, there are gorgeous grassy slopes and plateaus to explore, and for the ambitious, you can don helmet and harness (we have plenty of extras), in order to participate in our "fixed rope training" on the good granite boulder outcroppings scatter amongst the grass tufts and juniper bushes on the south facing slopes only a few minutes above basecamp. If you felt particularly fit, you might enjoy a wander up to the "advanced basecamp" at 5400 metres.

9. We enjoy a bit of a lie in, then a filling breakfast and make a leisurely walk downhill to rejoin the Everest trek and walk to Pheriche, the last permanent Sherpa settlement. Here we have spectacular views of Nuptse, Lobuche, Cholatse,  Ama Dablam and many others. Pheriche, at 4250 metres, is the site of the Himalayan Rescue Association, where we can visit the famous high altitude clinic.

ABC at 5350 metres, and one of the views from ABC, the Mingbo La, and part of the Malan Phulan massif. Zuber photos

10. Hiking across grassy hills, then up and through enormous boulders brings us to 4930 metre Lobuche, with stunning views of Lobuche peak and Cholatse. Along the way we cross over the Dugla Hill where we are confronted by a knoll studded with chortens, monuments to fallen climbers and Sherpas who have died on Mt. Everest over the years. You will probably recognize several of the names on the memorials. 

Sturdy and hardworking local gentleman carrying beer to sell to tourists in the teahouses.

11. A short day up the Khumbu glacier takes us to the rocky outpost of Gorak Shep, our highest camp at 5100m. The nights can be very chilly up here, so you will enjoy bundling up in your warm, fleece, pile, or duvet/down jacket, and wearing your wooly hat, especially in the evening. The views are spectacular, and you will be surrounded by the dragons teeth of the highest massif in the world: Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Pumori, and Lingtren.

12.   With an early start we trek to the top of Kala Patar (5545 metres) to see the famous views of Everest. Here is where Shipton stood in 1952, to plan the successful ascent of Everest. There are incredible, beautiful views of Everest, Nuptse, Khumbutse, Ligtren, Pumori, and many more of the stunning Khumbu Himalaya. This afternoon, we shall walk back down to Pheriche.

13.  We now walk back down the valley, retracing our steps to Namche.

14.  Walking down from Namche to Lukla

15.  Return flight to Kathmandu.

16. Extra Day of Rest and Celebration in Kathmandu. Do take a taxi out to Bhaktapur if you wish to visit an impressive temple city.

17. Flight Home. Good Bye everyone, it was nice meeting you!

If you wish to extend your trek by a week or so, please join us for an affordable climb of Island peak (Imja Tse) and exploration of the famous Cho La pass, which crosses between the Khumbu and Gokyo valleys.  Please tell us now if you are interested in the optional Island peak-Cho La trek.

Rhododendron Tree near Monjo. Trekking in the Khumbu, on the way down to Lukla. D.L.Mazur

Interested? Please contact us: HimalayaTrek@earthlink.net

We are able to provide a five percent discount for: